Through the Eyes of a Child
by NancyErin
Summary: AU - Christmas Family One Shot – Emily's view of a perfect Christmas day.


Title: Through the Eyes of a Child

Author: NancyErin (cookiemonster76)

Rated: K

Disclaimer: I don't own CASTLE, never have, never will. Emily and Ethan are mine.

Note: English is not my mother tongue, so please bare with my grammar mistakes. Thx! =)

Summary: AU Christmas Family One Parter – Emily's view on a perfect Christmas day.

**One Parter**

When I open my eyes in the morning the first thing that comes to my mind is [i]_It__'__s__Christmas_![/i]. I long to jump right out of bed, just like I used to do the past years. To stumble down the staircase, which would wake up my parents. They would meet me in the foyer all happy and smiling, watching as I excitedly tear at the wrapped up gifts beneath the Christmas tree. I'm too old for that now; though, mind you, not too old for gifts quite yet!

The cold temperature in my room refrains me to do right that and I rather feel like snuggling deeper under the covers, so I do that instead. I roll onto my left side, pulling the warm bedcovers a tad higher up over my shoulders as to not freeze. My eyes stay closed for another while as I relish into the cozy feeling all wrapped up under the blankets. A content sigh, I didn't know I had been withholding, slips from my lips. Minutes later my eyes unconsciously flutter open. I forgot the pull the curtains last night and the shinning sun reflects onto the white winterland outside, brightening my room to the fullest. I groan and roll onto the other side, giving me another couple of minutes to fully wake.

When I am about ready to start the day, I get out of bed. It's cold and I don't know why. The entire house feels like a freezer so I grab my robe and envelop it around my body. My feet slip into a warm pair of pink Hello Kitty ® slippers, which I'm neither too old for.

As I descend the staircase that leads right into the vast family room, I am rather surprised to find my parents all wrapped up against each other with a blanket hiding their embrace. My thoughts soften at the loving display in front of my eyes. Still after so many years the love between my parents is still going strong. Many of my classmates and friends have either parents filing for divorce or they already have two different homes; one at their mother's, one at their father's. My best friend Tasha also envies me so much since her parents are also separated and they still keep fighting as much as they did prior to divorce.

Should I wake them? Probably not yet because they look like that I have had a long night shift again. Instead I tiptoe across the room into the kitchen, carefully preparing myself a bowl of cereals. I sit down onto the kitchen counter and silently eat breakfast. Half way through my meal I hear some shuffling coming from the other side. My dad stirs lightly in his sleep. Without waking he pulls my mom closer, if that is even possible.

When I'm done with food, I'm somewhat startled by the soft whimper shaking through the room. I thus quickly hurry back up the staircase where I lift my little brother out of the crib and into my arms. He makes some soft gurgling noises at the sound of my voice before his eyes open up. He instantly stops his whining.

As I gaze dreamingly into his dark blue eyes I can't help thinking about how my life as an only child has changed. I remember when my mom told me the news ten months ago – on my birthday to be exact. It had left me speechless even though I was very excited that I was going to have a baby brother or a baby sister. When I was young, Alexis, my big sister, was still living with us. Then she moved out and she's no longer around much, except for Christmas, birthdays and what not. Dad and her, as well as the entire family, we like traditions. It's all about family and I remember pretty well a conversation I have once had with mom, how this was something that attracted her to dad. That was one side of him, she fell in love with. I hope that some day I will also find true love like my parents did.

Sitting here in the nursery and rocking my little brother, Ethan, in my arms, I am also reminded about how scared mom actually was when she learnt to be expecting again. My parents don't know about it but I overheard several of their conversations. Mom was never all too thrilled about being and becoming a mom. Then she was pregnant with me and dad had to encourage her all throughout pregnancy. Unfortunately many complications occurred, which put her onto a halt for any further pregnancies. She was scared and didn't want risk it. I was born twelve weeks too early and the pictures of me aren't all that nice. I look really fragile. It's kind of scary. Nowadays I understand a little bit better why mom never wanted to add another child to the family.

Faith though had decided differently. Both of my parents were acting very precautious at the beginning but this second pregnancy went by rather smooth, to quote mom. The only thing with Ethan is that he is crying non-stop. I barely hear any of it because I am a fast sleeper just like my dad. Mom says that even though I have her physical the more I grow, but I'm just as easy going as dad; whatever that means.

"Hey sweetie", my mother's soft voice wakes me out of my trail of thoughts. I look up at her and smile. "How long have you been up?"

I shrug rather unsure about my answer, "What time's it?"

"8.40am"

"Hmmm, around half an hour then I guess…"

"Did he wake you?" My mom asks referring to my little brother.

"Nah, I was up already. He started to cry. I figured that you guys sleeping downstairs, means you've been up all night."

Mom groans and yawns without saying another word. I know Ethan has kept them away from a much deserved sleep; especially my mother. Dad tries to take over whenever he can but when mom is feeding him there's only so little he can do.

As if on cue, Ethan wakes up and seconds later his loud wailing erupts from deep within his throat. I sometimes come to wonder how such a tiny little baby can produce that much noise, but my mom keeps stating that Ethan has inherited most of dad's genes, meaning that he was born to annoy her.

The story though doesn't grow old on me every time she sits down next to me and tells me how my parents have met. Knowing my father the past twelve years I know fairly well how much of a pain he can be sometimes. I have no clue how mom manages to remain so calm. She claims to have gotten used to it and that her brain has adjusted quite well to only let the real information sink through to her brain. The rest goes practically unnoticed by her. I laugh, but mom reminds me that I also have the tendency to get carried away every time I tell her something. My dad is a writer… I guess some of it got through to me too. I love nothing more than to make up my own stories. When I read a book, I always think about how I would have written it differently.

"You love me anyway, right mom?", I ponder out loud purposefully batting my eye lashes.

She smiles, "Of course I love you. Em. You're the best thing that has ever happened in my life."

"And dad, and Ethan!" I remind her, "Oh and Alexis and Grams too."

Her smile doesn't fade, "Of course."

"Ah, there are my two lovely ladies." My dad is standing in the door pane with arms wide open, as if he had been searching for us for hours. I roll my eyes annoyed at his noisy appearance and shush him down. "Merry Christmas munchkin!" he walks over to me and hugs me tightly.

"Merry Christmas dad!"

"Christmas? Oh dear…" My mother throws in, flashing me an apologetic smile.

"It's okay mom. Merry Christmas. I'm gonna go get breakfast ready."

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" My dad tells me before capturing my mom's lips into a smoldering kiss.

"I'm still here dad!" I can't help groaning. I totally respect them being in love with one another as if it were the first day, but I definitely don't need a life show of their affection. "Gross!"

"Close your eyes!" My dad mumbles against mom's lips, who smacks him playfully against his chest. "Ouch! What was that for? I said she should shut her eyes!" he pouts childishly. "It's Christmas and I want to kiss my wife."

Mom laughs softly at his frowned face, "You kissed me… now go…"

"What?" Mom pushes him and I pull his arm. Dad's ramble goes on non stop as we make our way downstairs again, proclaiming that he deserves to have some alone time with beautiful wife. While dad and I prepare breakfast for family, his phone goes off. Alexis called to let us know that she should be here within an hour or so.

Just as dad and I are finished setting up the table, mom is strolling down the steps with Ethan nestled in her arms.

"Can I open my presents now?" I ask giddily. The wrapped up boxes beneath the Christmas tree have been calling out for me ever since my wake up. My mom rolls her eyes, something me dad states, she uses to do a lot ever since they have met. Even though I'm already twelve years old, I still know how to play daddy's little girl, and okay, I will admit it, I use it frequently. I know how to wrap dad around my finger.

"An Ipad ®, dad! Awesome! Thank you!"

"Hey, that wasn't me. That was Santa", he reminds me with a wink. My mom sighs.

"Seriously, an Ipad ®, Rick?"

"Yeah, now we can play AngryBirds all the time!" He exclaimed excitedly fetching the electronic device out of my hands without permission. I object, but dad ignores me, "So, who goes first? Me!"

"Moooom!" I groan, but it's already too late, because my dad has already loaded the app and has started playing.

My mom also ignores me and instead gazes down at Ethan, "Please Ethan, do me a favor, and grow into a nice sweet little boy. I don't know how many Castle's I can actually live with. Your dad and your sister are going to drive me nuts some day. I need some back up here."

"I'm sorry, honey, did you say something?" my dad asks my mom without lifting his eyes off the screen, before launching a new shot with the slingshot in the attempt to destroy the built structures where the pigs are hiding the birds' eggs. "YES, score! I win, you loose!"

"Dad stop it!" I counter, snatching MY tablet of his hands.

Dad gazes up at mom, a large grin plastered all over his face. I groan before focusing my attention onto the new loading game.

"Nothing", mom shakes off her initial words. I am pretty sure that my dad heard her words just fine, as I did. They are bantering as so very often. A silence grows over the place and I steal a glance every now and then at my parents who are busy smiling goofily at each other. I roll my eyes at the two love birds, since they both have that certain look on their face again. One second dad is acting like a small boy and the next one he is all over my mom. Their never ending glares are quite something. Neither moves and neither speaks. It gives me the chills every time.

"I love you, Kate."

I quickly glance up from the game. My mom blushes, bites her lower lip and smiles down at Ethan resting peacefully in her arms. She caresses my brother's chubby cheeks. They are quite adorable, I could also squeeze them all day long. He looks like a doll to me.

"I love you too, Rick." my mother whispers.

"Oh no!" I exclaim startling their moment. I just lost because I have been too busy staring at mom and dad. My dad quickly leans over against mom's lips and kisses her sweetly.

"See, that's what happens, when you're busy interfering with adults!" Dad gets up and walks across the room to the table where waffles and pancakes rested cold now.

"I was not!" I counter with arms firm on my hips and follow right behind dad. Mom also joins us at the table where she sets Ethan into the near by carrier for his nap, so that she could have breakfast. A weird feeling is itching me in the pit of my stomach. I need to get it out of the system before it eats me, "Sorry 'bout before. I didn't mean to interrupt you guys…"

My mother smiles lovingly at me.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart… I'm happy you like your gift, so Merry Christmas."

"Thanks mom", I get up and hug her tightly with a kiss. I do the same with dad.

They both smile at me before smiling at each other across the table. I have the perfect parents, a perfect brother and a perfect life. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything in the whole wide world.

Fin – Merry Christmas =)


End file.
